Red Cadeaux must shoulder 57 kilograms when he runs in a fourth consecutive Emirates Melbourne Cup at Flemington on November 4.

The Ed Dunlop-trained stayer has gone up 0.5kg in the weights from his gallant second-placed finish last season. He is also 3.5kg higher than when he occupied the same position in 2011.

Greg Carpenter, Racing Victoria executive general manager, said: "The progression in the weights for Red Cadeaux is not as profound as that given to some other runners-up in recent times. However, he was high in the weights last year and has history against him, with no nine-year-old ever successful in the Cup."

Dandino, who finished fifth behind Fiorente in the race last year, has been allotted 56.5kg for the Marco Botti team, while stablemate Seismos has been given 56kg.

The Sir Michael Stoute-trained duo of Hillstar and Estimate would have to compete off 55kg, but connections of the latter ruled the mare out of the race on Monday.

Godolphin's Cavalryman, who finished down the field in the 2012 renewal for Saeed bin Suroor, has been assigned the same weight of 57kg as Red Cadeaux, which is just 1kg lower than top-weight Admire Rakti.

The Bin Suroor-trained Willing Foe, who was successful in the 2012 Ebor at York, is on 55kg.

Dermot Weld won the Melbourne Cup with Vintage Crop (1993) and Media Puzzle (2002) and could this season saddle Pale Mimosa.

Fifth behind Brown Panther in the Irish St Leger at the Curragh on Sunday, the five-year-old mare would also have to carry 55kg.

Johnny Murtagh said it was unlikely Royal Diamond (55.5kg) would make the trip to Australia, but he could still be represented by this season's Ebor winner, Mutual Regard, who has been assigned 55kg.

The Patrick Prendergast-trained Manalapan finished second to Pale Mimosa in a Listed race at Leopardstown in July and has been given 52.5kg.

Andrew Balding's renowned traveller Side Glance (56.5kg) and stablemate Van Percy (52.5kg) are still in the hat, as are fellow British challengers Gatewood (55kg), Ambivalent (54.5kg), Cafe Society (52.5kg) and Angel Gabrial (51kg).